60 Students at BCLUW Will Receive a Power Snack Coupon Booklet
posted on Thursday, November 21, 2019
“I have had several students and parents/guardians comment on what a great thing it is to have these Power Snack coupons,” said Kristin Houston, a counselor at BCLUW schools. “They provide something healthy and easy for families to have on-hand at home.”
With Thanksgiving Break quickly approaching, most of us are making plans for elaborate feasts with family and friends; however, the stark reality is that 1 in 9 Iowans are food insecure and 1 in 6 Iowa children do not have enough to eat.
Power Snack, a program of Iowa Select Farms and the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation, aims to alleviate hunger by providing access to nutritious foods at home. Now in its seventh year, Power Snack supports 22,751 students statewide with deli ham and whole-wheat bread coupons.
“Protein is important because it helps keep students full longer so they aren’t hungry in between meals,” said Houston. “Kids need protein in order to stay balanced to help build strong bodies and brains.”
Four times throughout the school year, 60 students at BCLUW will receive a Power Snack coupon booklet. Each booklet contains a $5 coupon for deli ham and $3 coupon for a loaf of whole wheat bread. Combining the energy and carbohydrates of whole wheat bread with the protein of ham means the children will have made themselves a real Power Snack.
New this year, schools will also receive pork sticks to help alleviate emergency hunger situations.
“I definitely see that students who don’t eat breakfast show more signs and symptoms of hunger,” explained Houston. “Whether it’s a stomach ache that sends them to the nurse or bigger problems that send them to me or the Principal, these things all effect learning because they are missing out on lessons in the classroom.”
In total, 300 Power Snack coupons were delivered to BCLUW schools. The coupons will be sent out by Houston prior to holiday breaks, to ensure they have something healthy to eat during the long break from school. Houston also hands them out as-needed to area families.
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